Racism?

[blu-ray fan002]

Does anyone think racism has gotten worse or better over the years? I ask this because I read an article at msn.com about racial harrassment at the work place and I agree to parts of it. What do you all think?

[Marquoz]

Originally Posted by blu-ray fan002

Does anyone think racism has gotten worse or better over the years? I ask this because I read an article at msn.com about racial harrassment at the work place and I agree to parts of it. What do you all think?

I don't think it's gotten worse, just more publicized. More people are trying to make a bully pulpit by using racism as their ace card. It's sensational news and it seems to sell.

[blu-ray fan002]

Here is the way I see it. If someone who happens to be african-american wants something and doesn't get it, they will claim it's because their black and try to use racism in their favor. I've dealt with this several times and I'm sick of it. I'm not saying all african-americans do this, just the ones that don't care and have negative attitudes. If someone claims something isn't being done, it's not because if your race, it's because your a pain to deal with, so stop!

[blackhawktraffic]

Yeah I don't think it has gotten worse, just more in the public eye. And no disrespect for anyone that lives in the South, but there is still some bad blood there...talking about the crazy white people who think lynching is still acceptable.

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by blackhawktraffic

Yeah I don't think it has gotten worse, just more in the public eye. And no disrespect for anyone that lives in the South, but there is still some bad blood there...talking about the crazy white people who think lynching is still acceptable.

Well I've lived in the South my entire life and have only met one person like you describe. Just because CNN and the NAACP tell you they are on every streetcorner doesn't make it true. Now as far as your typical "we're better than them" racist, there are still a few of them hanging around. Sorry, the South hasn't cornered the market on racists, I've taken trips to DC, NYC, and Pennsylvania and found them there also. I'm just saying don't believe everything your told, I mean believe it or not we actually have electricity and indoor plumbing now.

[Marquoz]

Originally Posted by Rob71

Well I've lived in the South my entire life and have only met one person like you describe. Just because CNN and the NAACP tell you they are on every streetcorner doesn't make it true. Now as far as your typical "we're better than them" racist, there are still a few of them hanging around. Sorry, the South hasn't cornered the market on racists, I've taken trips to DC, NYC, and Pennsylvania and found them there also. I'm just saying don't believe everything your told, I mean believe it or not we actually have electricity and indoor plumbing now.

I've also lived in the south most of my life, and I tend to actually agree with him. There's a lot of ignorant folks in the city that I live in, and surrounding communities. "White Flight" is a very common phrase down here. Recently, the school system had a plan to re-desegregate schools, and a lot of parents decided they would rather put their child into a private school then into a desegregated school.

It isn't really a blatant I hate you and want to be rid of you racism, but a I don't want to be anywhere near you or associate with you racism. In the end though, it's still racism.

[Josh]

As long as you have people defined by race, you will have racism.

[Beta Man]

I think this thread will head in the wrong direction, but I'll just say this...... as long as people are entitled to express their own opinions freely, people will, regardless of how ignorant or misguided they are.

[Slec]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I think this thread will head in the wrong direction, but I'll just say this...... as long as people are entitled to express their own opinions freely, people will, regardless of how ignorant or misguided they are.

We have a winner!

Racism has moved from the realm of public and overt to more covert (and sometimes unnoticed by those who have it). It creates veiled prejudices that will affect how people view situations in the future. It's always going to be a catch-22 because the history in the US is so steeped in it . Regardless of how you (proverbially speaking) were raised, someone else has been affected by it. It was only 40 years ago.... We've made great strides but we're nowhere near where we need to be.

This thread may be closed soon because of content, but I'm glad to see people still thinking about it.

[BLUNT]

Originally Posted by Josh

As long as you have people defined by race, you will have racism.

True, and it works both ways as seen recently here in Detroit. Kuame Kilpatrick has been playing the race card to perfection to help get himself out of trouble. and Obamas minister (The one who made quite a few questionable comments.) Has been invited to be the keynote speaker at the at the NAACP conference here in Detroit. Looks like we are taking a few steps back, here at least.

[Ferris]

I've live in both New York and Florida (currently in FL). In all honesty, I found no more racism in one place or the other. As several posters have mentioned, racism will always be present, regardless of whether or not we are not racist ourselves.

I truly believe racist actions do not occur as often as in the past, but that's only based on what I see. However, we're being fed race and illegal immigration by the media as central issues in this year's election. Specifically on the democratic side. What this has done is made people more cautious about racism in general. I think you'll see a decrease in this topic as a concern within a year following the presidential election.

Personally, I think all types of racism (think reverse racism) is wrong, no matter how you slice it. Once we stop segregating ourselves as whites, blacks, latinos, etc, we'll see a steady decline of racism in the news....

[BLUNT]

Originally Posted by FriedEggs

I've live in both New York and Florida (currently in FL). In all honesty, I found no more racism in one place or the other. As several posters have mentioned, racism will always be present, regardless of whether or not we are not racist ourselves.

I truly believe racist actions do not occur as often as in the past, but that's only based on what I see. However, we're being fed race and illegal immigration by the media as central issues in this year's election. Specifically on the democratic side. What this has done is made people more cautious about racism in general. I think you'll see a decrease in this topic as a concern within a year following the presidential election.

Personally, I think all types of racism (think reverse racism) is wrong, no matter how you slice it. Once we stop segregating ourselves as whites, blacks, latinos, etc, we'll see a steady decline of racism in the news....

Well said.

[Slec]

Originally Posted by FriedEggs

Personally, I think all types of racism (think reverse racism) is wrong, no matter how you slice it. Once we stop segregating ourselves as whites, blacks, latinos, etc, we'll see a steady decline of racism in the news....

reverse racisim = harmony......

[Erman_94]

i took a course in university on this stuff and when you break it down it's pretty simple:

- first, racism in the 20's and in present is the SAME AMOUNT, it's just become more DISCRETE because public racism is now frowned upon due to black and civil rights

- no one person is born racist...it is something we see and learn (through both society and family) (i.e. if your family members are racist, you are most likely to follow because this is where you learn your values. without this influence, you could have grown up to be an activist for minority rights but because people so close to you have this idea of race, you are likely to follow) - in that right it is a vicious cycle, one that will never end because it is consistently passed down and based pretty much on ignorant views

- race itself is a creation (tough to believe i know because skin colour is so distinct) but physical characteristics of people are more GEOGRAPHIC than based on culture...if you had "white" people live in Africa for over 5000 years, sooner or later their physical traits would resemble that of an African

- lastly, race is socially constructed by those in power to keep themselves in power - we give meaning to these physical traits (ie. black = bad) and its used to suppress others from gaining social power


theres alot more on the issue but thats the long and short of it....im not activist or anything and im not a minority so that course was truly an eye opener for me (even though sometimes it got too "preachy" )

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Josh

As long as you have people defined by race, you will have racism.

It's as simple as that.

And racism exists for all races.

And it will never go away.

[eChopper]

i think racism is definitely on the wane

hell , all the kykes, spics, wops, guineas, dagos and ******s in my neighbourhood get along swell

[Slec]

Originally Posted by Erman_94

- lastly, race is socially constructed by those in power to keep themselves in power - we give meaning to these physical traits (ie. black = bad) and its used to suppress others from gaining social power

Nice Berger and Luckmann reference!

[Ferris]

Originally Posted by Slec

reverse racisim = harmony......

Reverse discrimination, known as positive discrimination in the United Kingdom[1] is the practice of favouring a historically disadvantaged group at the expense of members of a historically dominant group (usually in university admissions or employment).

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_Racism

[Erman_94]

Originally Posted by FriedEggs

Reverse discrimination, known as positive discrimination in the United Kingdom[1] is the practice of favouring a historically disadvantaged group at the expense of members of a historically dominant group (usually in university admissions or employment).

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_Racism

for the record...many minority groups find this WORSE...the idea for them is to not be classified as a race...and this just reproduces that idea


also, if you're referring to "affirmative action" they want to be hired based purely on their SKILL and not the fact that they will give you a job because of the suffering your ancestors have faced

[Ferris]

Originally Posted by Erman_94

for the record...many minority groups fine this WORSE...the idea for them is to not be classified as a race...and this just reproduces that idea


also, if you're referring to "affirmative action" they want to be hired based purely on their SKILL and not the fact that they will give you a job because of the suffering your ancestors have faced

Oh, I couldn't agree with you more! That's why I said I think all types of racism are wrong, including reverse racism.

Sorry! I didn't mean to confuse anyone!